Friday night didn’t go as expected by either Mookie Betts or the LA skipper! Even in the second half of the season, his superstar shortstop appeared lost at the plate. Dave Roberts’s hope of a reset after the All-Star break only shattered, with Betts going 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts, lowering his average to a startling .241 against the Brewers. And then came the astonishing decision: Mookie Betts has been benched for Saturday and probably Sunday, too.

But was this the only choice? “Talking to Mookie, I just don’t know if hitting on first or ninth or anywhere in between changes where he’s at mechanically. And I think he’s very sold on the fact that he’s got to clean some things up mechanically. So…where in the order isn’t gonna change that,” expressed the manager when the idea of moving Betts down came from reporters. A confident Roberts pointed out, “…moving him down, I don’t think it would affect the psyche.”

The decision might work as a “mental reset” for a player who had been burdened by his own difficulties. Roberts thought he would have to “take it out of his hands,” recognizing that Betts is a fierce competitor who would never ask for a day off. “He’s not used to struggling like this,” Roberts shared. “There’s a part of it where you feel like you’re letting people down.”

While Betts understood the decision, the move sent shockwaves. Benching a healthy superstar is a manager’s last resort. And all of these, raised an immediate question about the team’s other MVP. One reporter asked Roberts if Freddie Freeman could face a similar fate.

The manager’s answer was quick and firm. “Um, probably not.” He expanded further, “I think that…his bats have been a little bit better…over the last four or five games. So, I don’t see that happening.” And so in that one moment, Roberts declared his faith in his stars while assuring that he knows what he’s doing and he knows his players.

Roberts’ confidence in Freeman isn’t just a gut feeling. Freeman is also mired in relative terms to his lofty career level, but his slump is not the same. In the last five games, Freeman collected four hits, three of them doubles, and drove in two runs. Betts, by contrast, had just two hits.

Freeman is providing the stabilizing force that a number three hitter is expected to bring to the lineup. He is an anchor. Betts, the ultimate “Swiss Army knife,” has also played all over the diamond. This versatility is, of course, useful. But in one sense, this makes him a piece that is easier to take out of the lineup for a time without really breaking up the core.

Dodgers’ deeper cracks in the foundation

A superstar slump is troubling, but the Dodgers’ issues go beyond Mookie Betts. The team stumbled in July with a 5-9 record, plagued by a wave of injuries to key offensive players. All-Star third baseman Max Muncy is sidelined until mid-August with a bruised knee. Since the injury, the team’s run production has fallen from 5.78 to 3.0 per game.

And the list of injuries does not end there.

Utility man Enrique Hernández is in a “holding pattern” with an elbow problem. Slugger Teoscar Hernández is hobbling around with a painful bone bruise high on his foot that appears to be limiting his effectiveness. But we cannot even blame it all on the injuries.

Catcher Will Smith could be a top regression candidate after a scorching first half. His career average decreased from .279 before the break to .242 after it.

This ever-growing list of injuries and slumps has exposed cracks in the Boys in Blue. To successfully weather this storm, the Dodgers will have to think — at least for the short term — outside the box.

Here’s the most sensical place to begin: Let’s find Mookie Betts a permanent defensive home. Relocating him to second base, a less demanding position physically than shortstop, could save his body and help him rediscover his offensive stroke. Pressure might also be relieved by a revamped lineup. Putting Betts fourth, behind Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith, would let him concentrate on mechanics, rather than setting the table. Just a suggestion, though!

Now, looking at the farm system, there’s a handful of prospects at Triple-A Oklahoma City, too. In the outfield, Ryan Ward has been leading the team with 24 home runs and a 1.007 OPS. Catcher and outfielder Dalton Rushing, the club’s 2024 Minor League Player of the Year, is also hitting well and could be a major upgrade over the struggling Michael Conforto (.186 BA).

Well, these players can be high-upside alternatives to the team’s current underperforming options. Do you think Dave Roberts will consider them?